These Romans are crazy!

About the exhibition "Masterpieces from the Torlonia Collection" on display at the Louvre Museum until November 11, 2024.

This story of the masterpieces from the Torlonia collection is incredible! Personally, I didn't know about it yet, so I'm delighted that Jean-Michel Charbonnier is devoting an article to it in the summer issue of Connaissance des arts, on the occasion of the exhibition of ninety marbles and a bronze from the Roman period currently being held at the Louvre. Two-thirds of these works, offering a fascinating insight into the art and culture of ancient Rome, actually come from this famous Torlonia collection, which has been the subject of much discussion in the Italian press.

Basically, Prince Alessandro Torlonia (the one who was born in 1925 and died in 2017, because there are others in the family tree of the patrician dynasty, so I'll keep it short) had quietly, and completely illegally, transformed into private apartments a museum created in 1875 to house the exceptional collection of marbles built up by his ancestor Giovanni Torlonia (1754-1829), a very wealthy Italian banker. Prosecuted by the Italian government when the can of worms was discovered in 1979 thanks to a journalistic investigation, our Alessandro, perhaps sensitive to contemporary art (history does not say) but in any case not at all to ancient art visibly, finally created a foundation in extremis, chaired by one of his grandsons (an Alessandro too), in order to officially get out, after three decades of negotiations and many twists and turns, the six hundred or so works of art from the mezzanine where they had been piled up, and above all to get back on track... three years before dying! I'll spare you the negotiations that preceded it, with Silvio Berlusconi or even with the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, but it still gives you an idea of ​​the value of these marbles that had suddenly completely disappeared from the radar! Researchers, historians, archaeologists, heritage defenders, art lovers... it was suddenly a general outcry! Because imagine that in 1875, when the Trastevere Museum opened, a few years after the annexation of Rome to the Kingdom of Italy, a catalogue had been published by the Visconti archaeologists (the uncle and nephew) with the reproduction of the works in phototype: a first for a sculpture museum! So we knew very well what to find in the mezzanine of this building in the Trastevere district, on the right bank of the Tiber…

Anyway. An agreement was finally signed in 2016 with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism, after two eminent professors of Greek and Roman archaeology provided their expertise. The Bulgari jewelry house provided financial support for the restoration of the marbles… and the Torlonia collection was finally able to be exhibited for the first time to the general public in Rome, at the Capitoline Museums, during an exhibition entitled “I Marmi Torlonia. Collecting Masterpieces", which was held from October 14, 2020 to June 29, 2021. In the midst of Covid. Little seen therefore, by force of circumstances, this exhibition nevertheless marked an important milestone, because the Torlonia collection, composed of 96 works chosen from more than 620 ancient sculptures, had never been exhibited outside the private circles of the family since its creation. Even before it languished in a mezzanine, very few people had seen it with their own eyes. The Italian exhibition had therefore stunned everyone by presenting real masterpieces, including busts, reliefs, sarcophagi, and statues, revealing the incredible richness of this collection.

The exhibition "Masterpieces from the Torlonia Collection" visible at the Louvre Museum until November 11 highlights several major works from this collection of ancient works of art. Among the works of art purchased by the collector Giovanni Torlonia (1754-1829), who surely never imagined that one of his descendants would one day no longer find them of interest, you can admire for example:

- The Sarcophagus of the Spouses: A magnificent example of Roman funerary art, this monumental sarcophagus is decorated with intricate patterns and scenes, reflecting the wealth and social importance of the deceased and telling mythological stories, often associated with love and death.

- The Statue of the Muse: An elegant sculpture representing a muse, embodying poetic inspiration. This statue illustrates the Greek influence on Roman art.

- The Bust of Hadrian: A remarkably detailed imperial bust representing the Emperor Hadrian, known for his role in the consolidation of the Roman Empire. An excellent example of imperial Roman portraiture, characterized by its realism and serene facial expression.

- The Borghese Vase: A spectacular marble piece decorated with scenes from Greek mythology, depicting deities and heroic figures.

- Athena Parthenos: A replica of the famous statue of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and war, which bears witness to the influence of Phidias, one of the greatest sculptors of ancient Greece.

I should not forget to tell you about the unique bronze statue, a pseudo-effigy of the prince and military leader Germanicus…

These works, among others, are exhibited in the setting of the Louvre, a prestigious art gallery that suits them very well, and in a staging that highlights their historical and artistic importance, allowing visitors to delve into the richness of ancient Roman and Greek art. The exhibition is organized into several thematic sections that explore Greek artistic influences on Roman art as well as the originality of Roman sculpture. Not to mention that the ancient marbles of the Torlonia collection can be compared to the work of several contemporary artists who are interested in the human form, materiality, and classical heritage. Like Damien Hirst, known for his use of antiquity in works such as those in the Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable series, and who revisits classical themes by reinterpreting them with modern materials and contemporary contexts. His massive sculptures, which imitate the wear and aging of ancient marbles, are very reminiscent of the antique aesthetic of Torlonia works.

But we could also mention Jeff Koons, whose stainless steel sculptures, often gilded and polished, such as those in the Antiquity series, are directly inspired by Greco-Roman sculpture. Although his approach is more pop and kitsch, the influence of classical forms is evident, and he explores the same fascination with the idealization of the human body as the ancient marbles. And what about Jan Fabre, the Belgian artist who explores corporeality and cultural heritage in his works, using materials like marble and bronze to create sculptures that reinterpret classical traditions while confronting them with contemporary questions about violence, death, and memory… As for Antony Gormley, although his style is more abstract, he shares with ancient sculptors an interest in the representation of the human body, often reduced to its most elemental form. His work on the human form as a volume in space ultimately echoes quite well the way ancient sculptors exploited the relationship between sculpture and space.

The exhibition at the Louvre also offers guided tours and educational programs for young people, which really allows visitors to discover these treasures from various angles. And since we understand that this is a rare opportunity to admire them, of course we take advantage of it!

Article written by Valibri en Roulotte